Soldier killed in accident

MANHATTAN — A Fort Riley soldier has died of injuries he suffered in a one-car accident early Saturday in Manhattan, the Riley County Police Department said Monday.

Brad Schoen, patrol division commander with the RCPD, identified the victim as Michael T. Highnote, 37, of the 977th Military Police Company at Fort Riley.

Schoen said RCPD was notified of the accident at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday. The preliminary investigation showed that Highnote was driving a 2005 Pontiac GTO east on Kimball Avenue when the car left the road and hit a light pole near the intersection of Kimball and N. Manhattan Avenue.

Highnote was pinned in the vehicle until freed by personnel from the Manhattan Fire Department. He was transported to a Manhattan hospital, where he later died of his injuries.

Speed is believed to have been a contributing factor in the accident, Schoen said.